The Segregation of Man

Genesis 9:18 – 11:9 (9:18-28)

February 2, 2014

 

When we read this text, we have here two very peculiar stories,

And ones that honestly cause us to scratch our heads a little in wonder.

 

• We have Noah, the man who walked with God, the man righteous before God, the man blameless in his time, passing out drunk and naked.

 

• We then have Noah distinguishing between his sons, cursing one and blessing two others.

 

• And then, by reading on into chapter 11 we have this peculiar story about a tower being built to the heavens and God confusing the language of humanity.

 

And while we all know the stories, there is always a little curiosity

As to why they were included and why they are here.

 

What is Moses trying to reveal?

• What benefit do these stories have to the children of Israel now wondering in the wilderness?

• What benefit do these stories have for your life today, that God would preserve them in Scripture?

 

To understand that, you need to know that Moses is now

Transitioning into his next main point to the children of Israel.

 

And that point is one that has baffled humanity up until this very day.

 

God is about to do something that is totally wonderful

And yet impossible to fully grasp.

 

God is about to select a people for Himself.

 

Now you won’t see that selection yet, it is only alluded to in our text today.

That selection doesn’t come until Genesis 12.

 

Genesis 12:1-3 “Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go forth from your country, And from your relatives And from your father’s house, To the land which I will show you; And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great;

And so you shall be a blessing; And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”

 

There God does something that is totally and completely gracious.

God chooses Abraham from the midst of the earth

To be the father of a nation whom God will bless.

 

It is mind boggling, and even to this day it is hard to fathom.

 

It is nothing less than the divine prerogative of God.

That God has the right to choose whom He will to be His children.

 

And why we find that significant at this point,

Is because this is the only hope humanity has.

 

We’ve already seen what humanity does when left to its own devices.

 

Humanity chooses sin.

Adam did it, Cain did it, and every human from there on out did it.

 

And by the time we got to Noah we read the sad reality about humanity.

 

Genesis 6:5 “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

 

When man is left to his own devices, he always chooses sin.

And that is precisely the reality that led to the flood.

 

And the idea is that after a global killer,

Man is supposed to realize that God is serious about sin

And then man (motivated by judgment)

Is supposed to choose to live a righteous life from here on out.

But that is not the way it is at all.

 

In fact, the flood destroyed sinners, but it didn’t change humanity.

 

Remember when Noah came out of the ark?

Genesis 8:21 “The LORD smelled the soothing aroma; and the LORD said to Himself, “I will never again curse the ground on account of man, for the intent of man’s heart is evil from his youth; and I will never again destroy every living thing, as I have done.”

 

The simple reality is that the flood did not change a thing

As to what humanity was.

 

• Man is sinful even if he is in a perfect garden

• Man is sinful even if given a second chance on earth

 

In fact by the time we get to the New Testament

Paul quotes that compilation of Old Testament passages

Which are assessments of God as to who humanity really is.

 

Romans 3:10-18 “as it is written, “THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD; ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.” “THEIR THROAT IS AN OPEN GRAVE, WITH THEIR TONGUES THEY KEEP DECEIVING,” “THE POISON OF ASPS IS UNDER THEIR LIPS”; “WHOSE MOUTH IS FULL OF CURSING AND BITTERNESS”; “THEIR FEET ARE SWIFT TO SHED BLOOD, DESTRUCTION AND MISERY ARE IN THEIR PATHS, AND THE PATH OF PEACE THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN.” “THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES.”

That is about as thorough as it gets.

Man is sinful.

He was sinful before the flood, he was sinful after the flood.

 

Any hopes of man now changing his ways is really only wishful thinking.

And if you doubt, all you have to do is see Noah already getting drunk.

 

SO WHAT IS TO BE DONE?

 

Well it is obvious that man isn’t going to save himself.

• It is obvious that man isn’t going to choose God.

• It is obvious that man isn’t going to choose righteousness.

 

Every time man was given the option, he always chose sin.

 

Let’s state it bluntly.

MAN WILL NOT CHOOSE GOD

 

Partly because he won’t and partly because he can’t

 

The New Testament reveals this clearly

Ephesians 2:1-3 “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.”

 

Today so much is spoken of about man’s “free will”

Or man’s “right to choose”

 

But listen, there is no such thing as free will.

(Man is either a slave to sin or a slave to righteousness)

 

Man, without God is not free.

Man is a slave to sin.

 

He doesn’t know he is a slave, but that’s precisely what he is.

And every time he is given a choice, he proves that by choosing sin.

 

And that is what Paul illustrated.

• Man constantly lives in “the lusts of the flesh”

• Man constantly indulges “the desires of the flesh and of the mind”

 

Why?

Because he is a slave to sin.

 

In fact, in a spiritual sense he is dead.

“You were dead in your trespasses and sins”

 

Dead means “inability to respond to stimulus”

It’s not just that they won’t respond, they can’t respond.

And if they could, they wouldn’t, because they want sin.

 

And this is the reality that has been revealed

In the first 8 chapter of Genesis.

 

God created man and put man in a paradise garden.

• But did man want God? No

• Did man choose God? No

 

In fact by Noah’s day, how many men were credited as righteous before God by reason of their faith? (Just One – Noah)

 

Man is not choosing God.

Man is choosing sin.

 

And if that reality stays the same, we are destined to

Repeat this judgment scene over and over and over until the very end.

 

Man is wicked, and that isn’t going to change.

Man will not choose God.

 

SO HERE IT IS:

If man is going to be saved, then God is going to have to choose man.

 

• God will have to choose him

• God will have to call him

• God will have to save him

• God will have to sanctify him

• God will have to secure him

 

Because if it is left up to man, salvation will never occur.

 

And that is the point Moses is driving to.

God is about to sovereignly choose a people for salvation.

 

He is about to choose Abraham, and his descendants through Isaac and Jacob and make them His very own people.

 

• They will not be chosen because of their great intellect

• They will not be chosen because of their great wealth

• They will not be chosen because of their great strength

• They will not be chosen because of their great integrity

• They won’t even be chosen because of their great faith

 

They will be chose simply because God wanted to choose them.

 

And the rest of the book of Genesis will prove that

This choice makes all the difference.

 

We have seen the depravity of man throughout the first 8 chapters of Genesis.

Now it is time to see God’s effectual call upon His elect.

God is about to choose His people.

 

However, before God can select a people,

He must first separate the people.

 

The people must first be distinguished from one another

And then God can make His selection known.

 

AND THAT IS WHAT THIS PASSAGE IS ABOUT.

 

These passages reveal how God separated all the nations on the earth,

So that we can see that of all the nations, God chose Abraham.

 

And when you read this text, the reality of that separation

Becomes extremely clear. It is obviously Moses’ point.

 

(9:19) “These three were the sons of Noah, and from these the whole earth was populated.”

 

(10:5) “From these the coastlands of the nations were separated into their lands, every one according to his language, according to their families, into their nations.”

 

(10:25) “Two sons were born to Eber; the name of the one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided; and his brother’s name was Joktan.”

 

(10:32) “These are the families of the sons of Noah, according to their genealogies, by their nations; and out of these the nations were separated on the earth after the flood.”

 

(11:8-9) “So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of the whole earth; and they stopped building the city. Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of the whole earth; and from there the LORD scattered them abroad over the face of the whole earth.”

 

Moses’ point is obvious.

• He is revealing how the earth became so diverse.

• He is revealing how the earth was separated.

 

And from purely an intelligent point of view this is important.

Certainly if only 8 people got off the ark, it would be curious

Why there are so many different dialects in the world.

 

Here is that answer.

• God separated humanity.

• God made them diverse.

And He did so that He might choose a people for Himself.

 

Well this morning I want you to see the events

That led up to the segregation of the world.

 

I want you to see the catalysts God used to divide the world.

There are three things that caused it.

 

#1 NOAH’S CURSE

Genesis 9:18-10:32 (18-28)

 

Again you notice Moses’ point right off the bat.

(18-19) “Now the sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem and Ham and Japheth; and Ham was the father of Canaan. These three were the sons of Noah, and from these the whole earth was populated.”

 

He is pointing out how the earth came to be in the condition

That the children of Israel now see it.

 

They aren’t all one family

They don’t share the same culture

They don’t speak the same language

 

God took these three and divided them to populate the earth.

 

Moses even throws in an important fact “Ham was the father of Canaan”

 

Certainly the children of Israel would have interested in this tidbit of information.

They knew all about the Canaanites and how they were

To be removed from the land God had promised to them.

 

Well, let’s see how that division came about.

 

It all started with Noah planting a vineyard.

(120 years of boat building had more than satisfied his carpentry urge – Noah wanted to farm)

 

So “Noah began farming and planted a vineyard. He drank of the wine and became drunk, and uncovered himself inside his tent.”

 

Well I think we can all agree that

This is a less than flattering story for Noah.

 

As a side note, just be mindful that drunkenness has caused people

To do stupid and shameful things since the days of Noah.

 

Well, Noah gets drunk and makes a fool of himself.

 

And “Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside.”

Presumably Ham accidentally spots Noah, but instead of covering his father to save his father’s dignity, Ham immediately went to expose him.

 

And of course you know that this is not Christian.

• Christians aren’t out to exploit the flaws of others.

• Scripture teaches us that “love covers a multitude of sins”

• It also teaches that “love does not rejoice in unrighteousness”

• It also reminds us that when we catch our brother in sin, we are to show him

his fault in private, not show his fault to everyone else.

 

This is obviously bad form on the part of Ham.

Noah was certainly guilty of shameful behavior, but a son who truly loved his father would hope to save him from embarrassment, not exploit him.

 

And that is certainly what Shem and Japheth desired.

They go in and cover their father Noah.

 

(24) “When Noah awoke from his wine, he knew what his youngest son had done to him.”

 

Now Scripture doesn’t reveal how Noah knew it,

But it was obviously made known to him.

 

And with that shame came upon Noah

(shame always follows sin)

 

And Noah was embarrassed.

 

And in his anger and in his shame, Noah pronounces a curse.

 

(25-27) “So he said, “Cursed be Canaan; A servant of servants He shall be to his brothers.” He also said, “Blessed be the LORD, The God of Shem; And let Canaan be his servant. “May God enlarge Japheth, And let him dwell in the tents of Shem; And let Canaan be his servant.”

 

Now Noah in anger pronounced a curse on his son.

 

What Moses is pointing out is that whether Noah knew it or not,

His statement was a prophetic one.

 

It was God who used Noah’s embarrassment and anger

To provide opportunity for a prophetic statement.

 

• Canaan would be relegated to slavery

• Shem would be blessed

• Japheth would share in Shem’s blessing

 

And this would happen.

1 Kings 9:20-21 “As for all the people who were left of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, who were not of the sons of Israel, their descendants who were left after them in the land whom the sons of Israel were unable to destroy utterly, from them Solomon levied forced laborers, even to this day.”

 

Furthermore Shem would become the line of the Jews

And Japheth the line of the Gentiles.

 

Shem would be blessed and Japheth would indeed

Be grafted in to Shem’s blessed line.

 

It was a very prophetic moment for Noah.

• God was separating the earth in that moment.

• God was segregating among people right then.

 

And to see who the people were, we read chapter 10

(we won’t read it all)

 

Mostly I want you to see Ham’s descendants.

The first son was “Cush” (Ethiopia)

 

And Moses even points out that the curse

DID NOT MEAN that Ham’s descendants were weak.

 

They weren’t slaves because they were dumb or weak.

Look at Cush’s son:

 

(8-9) “Now Cush became the father of Nimrod; he became a mighty one on the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; therefore it is said, “Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the LORD.”

 

Ham’s line wouldn’t be servants because they were weak.

They would be servants because God decreed it to be that way.

 

This line was cursed, and incidentally look at some of the places that came from that line.

 

• Verse 10 mentions Babylon

• Verse 11 mentions Assyria and Nineveh

• Verse 14 mentions the Philistines

• And verses 15-18 mentions all those “ites” the children of Israel would soon conquer

 

The point is that God, through Noah, separated the people

And actually placed Shem at the top and Ham at the bottom.

 

(32) “These are the families of the sons of Noah, according to their genealogies, by their nations; and out of these the nations were separated on the earth after the flood.”

 

NOW I KNOW…

 

You don’t like that thought.

• It’s not fair that God would just not choose Ham.

• It’s not fair that God would put him at the bottom.

 

Romans 9:19-23 “You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?” On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this,” will it? Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use? What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory,”

 

PEOPLE SAY IT’S JUST NOT FAIR THAT GOD DID THAT TO HAM.

 

But let me remind you of what we spoke of to begin the sermon,

And what we’ve seen from the beginning.

 

People who hold such a view are automatically assuming

That Ham wanted to come to God, but God wouldn’t let him.

 

WRONG – we already saw what man wanted.

Ham didn’t want God,

And if it were all up to Ham he wouldn’t have chosen God.

 

And neither would Shem or Japheth for that matter.

It’s not about God being cruel to Ham,

It’s about God being merciful to Shem.

 

God would endure Ham’s line with much patience so that

He could make known the riches of His glory upon Shem’s line.

 

God was separating them,

That He might select those He chose to show mercy.

 

And the first catalyst for this separation was Noah’s angry curse

Given as result of being shamed by his drunkenness.

 

Noah’s Curse

#2 MAN’S CONSTRUCTION

Genesis 11:1-4

 

Now if you’ll listen to Moses, he is clearly revealing to you the problem.

 

God was in the business of separating the earth, but that was difficult.

WHY?

 

(1) “Now the whole earth used the same language and the same words.”

 

It’s hard to separate a people who communicate so well with one another.

If God is to fully separate the earth,

There is going to have to be more drastic measures taken.

And God finds an event which makes it possible.

 

Here is man together:

(2-4) “It came about as they journeyed east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. They said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and burn them thoroughly.” And they used brick for stone, and they used tar for mortar. They said, “Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name, otherwise we will be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.”

 

Now this is an interesting story.

And it is included, NOT because building a tower is a sin.

 

• And some have said it is because they wanted to build “a tower whose

top will reach into heaven,”

 

Likening what they were doing to a form of idolatry

In which they were trying to usurp God’s position.

 

If that is so, they didn’t come close, for in a minute you will see

That the Lord still had to come down to see it.

 

But the issue isn’t even that the were building a tall tower.

The issue was the purpose of that tower.

 

It was specifically designed to keep them from being “scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.”

 

This tower was seeking to accomplish the exact opposite thing

That God was trying to accomplish.

 

God was trying to separate man that He might select His people

And yet these people are specifically trying to stay together.

 

Now this is in violation of God’s command:

Genesis 9:1 “And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.”

 

They were supposed to spread

God wanted them to spread

And they are doing just the opposite.

 

• I don’t know if this tower was to be a tower of trade…

• I don’t know if it was to be a worship site… (many assume)

• I don’t know if it was just something you could see so you wouldn’t get lost…

 

But the point is that humanity is resisting what God is seeking to do.

 

God wants humanity divided and spread over the earth,

And man is adamantly resisting.

 

And so this tower becomes a catalyst for God’s next move.

 

Noah’s Curse, Man’s Construction

#3 GOD’S CONFUSION

Genesis 11:5-9

 

Verse 6 really tells the story:

(6) “The LORD said, “Behold, they are one people, and they all have the same language. And this is what they began to do, and now nothing which they purpose to do will be impossible for them.”

 

Man is unified and he is unified in iniquity.

He is teaming up to defy the desires of God.

(not all unity is a good thing)

 

And God will have none of that.

So in verse 7 God said, “Let Us go down and there confuse their language, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.”

 

That would have been interesting wouldn’t it?

 

A guy yells out “cut me a brick 6 ½” long” but all of a sudden the brick cutter doesn’t have the faintest idea what he is saying.

 

All of a sudden it was chaos, it was confusion.

 

But you will notice that God achieved His desired purpose:

(8-9) “So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of the whole earth; and they stopped building the city. Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of the whole earth; and from there the LORD scattered them abroad over the face of the whole earth.”

 

And that is Moses’ main point.

God is separating, God is segregating, God is scattering humanity.

 

He is dividing them, that He might show His grace and mercy

To the one He is about to select.

 

As you will see next week, the very next verse says:

Genesis 11:10 “These are the records of the generations of Shem. Shem was one hundred years old, and became the father of Arpachshad two years after the flood;”

 

Moses was showing you that God separated humanity

So that he could show you who God was now selecting.

And God had to choose someone, because by now it is apparent

That no one was going to choose God.

 

And if you don’t believe me,

All you have to do is take a close look at Shem’s line.

 

• If you follow it on down, it gets to a man named Terah.

• Terah was the father of Abraham.

 

And just in case you assume that Shem stayed with the Lord and chose the Lord and his descendants stayed faithful where as the others did not…

 

Joshua 24:2 “Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘From ancient times your fathers lived beyond the River, namely, Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, and they served other gods.”

 

Shem’s line was no prize.

By the time we get to Abraham they are already worshiping pagan gods.

 

No, this story is NOT about how God separated the good from the bad.

This story is about how God separated all the bad,

That He might choose one and make it good.

 

God separated the bad from the bad

That He might select one and make them good.

 

AND WHY NOT JUST MAKE THEM ALL GOOD?

 

Because as Paul said in Romans 9

God left some bad and made some good “to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy”

 

It was so that those who were chosen would realize

How merciful and gracious God had been to them.

 

And this is the message that Moses is beginning to reveal

To those children of Israel wandering out in the wilderness.

 

THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO UNDERSTAND

HOW GRACIOUS GOD HAD BEEN TO THEM.

 

And incidentally that message is for you as well.

If you would be willing to see it, you didn’t choose God, He chose you.

 

Ephesians 1:3-4 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.”

 

Jesus said:

John 6:70 “Jesus answered them, “Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?”

 

John 15:16 “You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.”

 

There is no reason why God would have done this except grace.

• Can I explain it? No

• Do I fully understand it? No

 

But one thing is for sure, I sure am grateful for it.

 

I don’t know why He chose to bring me into His church and make me part of His bride, but I sure am glad He did.

 

It is the sovereign grace of God at work, and

• It is meant to move you to gratitude and greater commitment.

• It is meant to crush your pride, and to quit assuming your salvation was all your doing.

• It is meant to motivate you to give every ounce of glory you can to our gracious God.

 

He separated the earth, and out of the earth, He chose you.

 

Titus 3:3-7 “For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

 

The Matter of Giving and Receiving

Philippians 4:15-23

February 9, 2014

 

Well tonight we bring our letter of Philippians to a close. I sincerely hope God has used it to continue His process of sanctification in your life.

 

Certainly the truths about

• The attitude,

• Not grumbling,

• Pursuing Jesus,

• And contentment

Are truths that we need to be reminded of continually.

 

Well tonight Paul gives us another gem of information

As he reveals to us the truths about giving.

 

As I told you last week, the Philippians had sent a gift to Paul

As he sat in jail in Rome.

Much of the motivation for this letter came as a result of that gift.

 

Now as we saw last week, Paul was not a discontented person, moping in his jail cell, just wishing for things to comfort him.

 

Instead, Paul was content

 

Philippians 4:11-13 “Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”

 

Paul was a contented person.

He had learned that regardless of his circumstances,

There was supernatural strength from God to allow him to handle it.

 

• And so Paul’s focus was no longer on obtaining the things of the world

that would make him comfortable.

• Paul’s focus was now on being like Christ and he was content with

everything else.

 

And so we saw the blessed reality of contentment.

 

However, just because contentment is required,

That is no excuse for us to stop helping people.

 

A true Biblical perspective would be:

• If I am in need, I must be content.

• If you are in need, I must meet it.

 

And so tonight we see the necessary second part of that reality.

Paul was content, but their generous giving was still the right thing to do.

 

We even saw last week:

Philippians 4:14 “Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction.”

 

Giving and meeting the needs of others is the right thing to do.

And tonight I want to show you the truth about giving.

 

And through this I honestly hope to encourage everyone here to participate in it.

 

There are five things we see in the text tonight:

#1 THE PICTURE OF GIVING

Philippians 4:15-16

 

As we look at these two verses we find here a wonderful picture

Of what giving is supposed to look like.

 

Now, you should keep in the back of your mind that the Philippians make a wonderful example because the Philippians were poor.

 

2 Corinthians 8:1-4 “Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia, that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality. For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord, begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints,”

 

And you need to understand that so to break any misconceptions

That giving is just for the rich.

 

Generosity is not an economic issue.

Generosity is a heart issue.

 

Now obviously you can’t give what you don’t have,

But you can give what you do have, even if it seems insignificant.

 

And the Philippians make a tremendous example

Because they gave out of their deep poverty.

 

Now, as you look at these first two verses

A couple of other realities jump out at you.

 

(15) “You yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel, after I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone;”

 

Paul said after I left Macedonia, at “the first preaching” you were the only ones to help me.

 

It certainly speaks of the eagerness of the Philippians.

They didn’t wait for Paul to call…

They were givers from the beginning.

It was in their heart.

 

Paul says as soon as I left Macedonia, you were there to support me.

 

And incidentally, their giving to Paul was what allowed him to serve in other places, like Corinth.

 

In Acts 18 we find Paul fresh out of Athens, and he comes to Corinth, but he has to work with Aquila and Priscilla making tents.

 

But Acts 18:5 says:

Acts 18:5 “But when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul began devoting himself completely to the word, solemnly testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.”

 

Paul quit working because the Macedonians had sent an offering to Paul

Which allowed him to focus solely on ministry.

 

That is why Paul wrote to the Corinthians:

2 Corinthians 11:7-9 “Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you without charge? I robbed other churches by taking wages from them to serve you; and when I was present with you and was in need, I was not a burden to anyone; for when the brethren came from Macedonia they fully supplied my need, and in everything I kept myself from being a burden to you, and will continue to do so.”

 

That support for Paul’s ministry came from the Philippians.

They were the first after he left Macedonia.

 

In fact, they supported him before he ever even left Macedonia.

 

(16) “for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs.”

 

That is what you call eagerness. That is what you call priority.

The Philippians were givers.

They wanted to.

 

You also see a picture of giving in their REPETITION.

Paul says, “more than once” you sent a gift.

 

They were not just trying to sooth their conscience.

This wasn’t just giving to say they gave.

 

This was a people who were concerned about a need,

And continually supported it as long as it existed.

 

My point?

• They wanted to give.

• It was a desire of the heart.

2 Corinthians 9:7 “Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

 

And that was the Philippians.

They were cheerful givers.

 

And if you’ll look down to verse 18 I’ll show you how much they gave.

 

(18a) “But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent;”

 

Now if you aren’t careful you can read this as though

Paul is just being content.

 

Maybe they didn’t send that much, but because he is so content and so polite, he writes, “you’ve sent plenty”

 

But that is not the language used.

 

“But I have received everything in full”

 

“received…in full” translates APECHO

It literally means “to hold back” or “to keep away”

 

In this context, it is Paul actually retreating from what they have given,

Because he can’t hold anymore.

 

“and have an abundance”

 

“abundance” translates PERISSEUO

It actually refers to having something left over.

 

Matthew 15:37 “And they all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up what was left over of the broken pieces, seven large baskets full.”

 

So Paul says, “I have leftovers”

 

“I am amply supplied”

 

“amply supplied” translates PLEROO

It literally means “full”

 

And it is used of a total saturating full.

 

John 12:3 “Mary then took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.”

 

John 16:6 “But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.”

 

So put all three of those together, and here is what Paul is saying.

I am absolutely stuffed, I’m pushing away from the table,

And I’ve got a ton of leftovers.

 

Now that is what you call giving.

• They gave instantly

• They gave willingly

• They gave sufficiently (and then some)

 

Deuteronomy 15:7-8 “If there is a poor man with you, one of your brothers, in any of your towns in your land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart, nor close your hand from your poor brother; but you shall freely open your hand to him, and shall generously lend him sufficient for his need in whatever he lacks.”

 

That is how the Philippians gave, and incidentally,

That is what giving looks like.

 

• It comes from a cheerful heart

• It meets the need

• It doesn’t delay

 

So when the Bible speaks of giving, it isn’t talking about

A little gift here and there to sooth the conscience.

 

It is talking about a heart desire to make a difference

In the life or ministry of someone else.

 

And the Philippians did it so well that Paul was

“stuffed and eating leftovers”

 

The Picture of Giving

#2 THE PROFIT OF GIVING

Philippians 4:17

 

Now I hope you noticed the title of the sermon and the statement Paul made in verse 15.

 

“no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone;”

 

• Now we saw the “giving” side.

• But what is this “receiving” side Paul is talking about?

 

That is what he mentions here.

 

Again pointing out that he is content,

Paul reveals what it is that he does want.

 

“Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek the profit which increases to your account.”

 

“profit” translates KARPOS

It literally means “fruit”

 

I want you to receive the fruit.

 

Romans 1:13 “I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that often I have planned to come to you (and have been prevented so far) so that I may obtain some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles.”

 

What is this fruit? What is this profit?

 

It is your eternal treasure.

Paul said, “I seek the profit which increases to your account”

 

Did you realize that you have a heavenly bank account?

 

You do, and Scripture says that is the one you really ought to be concerned about, namely because you’ll be using it longer than your earthly one.

 

Matthew 6:19-21 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

 

Luke 12:33 “Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth destroys.”

 

Paul told it to Timothy like this:

1 Timothy 6:17-19 “Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.”

 

Paul even wanted those with big accounts here

To make sure they transfer some of that wealth to their other account.

 

And the reality is this.

Giving here increases your account there.

 

A very accurate way to see giving is

Like you are making an investment in God’s business.

 

• God has a business, it is a kingdom business.

• He is in the business of saving sinners.

• And when you give, you are becoming an investor in God’s business.

 

In fact:

Proverbs 19:17 “One who is gracious to a poor man lends to the LORD, And He will repay him for his good deed.”

 

Giving is lending to God, and God’s businesses never fail.

In other words, giving is profitable.

 

The Picture of Giving, The Profit of Giving

#3 THE PRINCIPLE OF GIVING

Philippians 4:18-29

 

And here is something you need to understand about giving,

It comes with a divine principle from God.

 

Now first you recognize all that the Philippians gave.

We talked about how Paul was stuffed, pushing away from the table, and he had leftovers.

 

But then he goes on to describe what their gift was to God.

 

He says their gift was “a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God.”

 

I hope that terminology sparked some familiarity in you.

 

Romans 12:1 “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.”

 

In other words, what the Philippians did for Paul

Was in reality pure worship of God.

 

Have you ever viewed your giving as worship?

• When you write a Lottie Moon check, do you view that as worship?

• When you help a family with their electric bill, do you view that as worship?

• When you give to the Gideon’s like this morning, do see the worship?

 

When you do it with the right heart, God does.

 

Many times in our routine religion

We just see worship as when we sing songs to God.

 

Certainly that is part of it. Praise is a fitting part of worship,

But worship is much bigger than that.

 

Giving is also worship.

Hebrews 13:15-16 “Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”

 

And let me show you the PRINCIPLE that comes with that worship.

 

(19) “And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

 

Now this is another verse that is often quoted out of its context.

People quote this verse to any and every one.

 

But this verse is not for any and every one.

This verse is for those who worship God through giving.

 

If you don’t give, you have no right to claim this verse.

 

If you are concerning yourself with your own “needs”,

Why should you expect God to concern Himself with them too?

 

But if you are doing what Jesus said:

Matthew 6:33 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

 

If you seek His business, He will seek yours.

That is the divine principle here.

 

So when you give, He puts treasure in heavenly account,

And He promises to meet your earthly needs.

 

Now, the prosperity gospel messes this principle up.

They have devised this “seed faith” concept where you give a little on earth and God makes you rich on earth.

 

No, you give out of a heart for worship, and God will meet your needs here

Your treasure is waiting in heaven.

 

And the reason God puts your treasure in heaven and not on earth,

Is because in heaven your treasure is secure.

(Thieves don’t steal it, moths don’t eat it, rust doesn’t destroy it)

 

But God promises to meet the needs of givers.

 

WHY?

Because if God locates a giver,

He’s going to make sure they are always able to give.

 

2 Corinthians 9:6-11 “Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; as it is written, “HE SCATTERED ABROAD, HE GAVE TO THE POOR, HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS ENDURES FOREVER.” Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness; you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God.”

 

A very important statement.

“Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing (not spending) and increase the harvest of your righteousness (not wealth).”

 

Do you see that?

If you are giver, God is going to make sure you have plenty to give.

 

It’s like when a child delights in putting money in the offering plate.

They don’t have their own, so they ask you for some.

 

And when they give, it’s not their money, it’s yours.

Well that is exactly how it is when you give.

 

If you give, God will supply.

And He promises to take care of your needs.

 

In fact, “My God will supply all your needs”

 

Luke 6:38 “Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure — pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.”

 

God is not cheap

God is also generous, that is why He loves it

when His children reflect His generosity.

 

Deuteronomy 15:10 “You shall generously give to him, and your heart shall not be grieved when you give to him, because for this thing the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in all your undertakings.”

 

That is the principle of giving.

God supplies what the giver needs.

If you don’t give, you supply it yourself.

 

The Picture of Giving, The Profit of Giving, The Principle of Giving

#4 THE PURPOSE OF GIVING

Philippians 4:20

 

“Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever.”

 

• The prosperity gospel thinks that we give so we can get from God.

• The social gospel thinks we give to ease the suffering of humanity.

• The false gospel thinks we give to make ourselves look good.

 

But the true gospel says we give because it brings glory to God!

 

2 Corinthians 9:12-13 “For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing through many thanksgivings to God. Because of the proof given by this ministry, they will glorify God for your obedience to your confession of the gospel of Christ and for the liberality of your contribution to them and to all,”

• When the poor man finally gets a meal, he glorifies God

• When the missionary finally gets support, he glorifies God

And that is why we give.

 

• Is it good for us? Yes

• Is it good for others? Yes

But we mostly do it because it is good for God.

 

Matthew 5:16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

 

And that is also why giving the right way matters so much.

• We can’t give with a stingy heart…

• We can’t give under compulsion…

 

We have to give with the right motives, otherwise it doesn’t glorify God.

 

Matthew 6:2-4 “So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. “But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”

 

These men gave, but it certainly didn’t glorify God – it glorified them,

And that is not the purpose for giving.

 

And as strange as it may sound,

We don’t even give primarily because of the poor.

 

• Yes we want to help

• Yes we are moved with compassion

• Yes it is beneficial

 

But we are never going to solve the problem of poverty.

Jesus said, “You’ll always have the poor with you”

 

We give because God is glorified.

That is the PURPOSE; that is the end result of our giving.

 

The Picture of Giving, The Profit of Giving, The Principle of Giving, The Purpose of Giving

#5 THE PRODUCT OF GIVING

Philippians 4:21-23

 

Now certainly this is Paul’s salutation to the letter.

He is ending what he has to say.

 

But what I want you to notice here is

THE OBVIOUS FELLOWSHIP THAT IS PRESENT.

 

• You have Paul greeting “every saint” in Philippi

• You have the brethren with Paul also greeting them.

• You have the saints from “Caesar’s household” greeting them.

 

In other words, it isn’t just Paul who is grateful

And desires to great the Philippians.

 

Paul’s ministry co-workers want to say thank you

And the saints that Paul has witnessed to want to say thank you

 

WHY?

Because their lives are blessed by Paul.

And the Philippians are making ministry easier on him.

 

It is the old song you’ve all heard before.

“Thank you for giving to the Lord”

 

I’ve shared it with you many times (and I will continue to do so since it was such a blessing in our lives) about the SHOR retreat Carrie and I went on.

 

Charles and Suzanne Grigsby were the couple who hosted it.

They fed us, they prayed with us, they encouraged us, and we were very grateful.

 

But do you know who else we wanted to thank?

The people who give every month to make their ministry possible.

 

We know behind every ministry there are those who financially support it.

 

Fellowship is a product of giving.

I want to thank those who give to help me.

 

2 Corinthians 9:13-14 “Because of the proof given by this ministry, they will glorify God for your obedience to your confession of the gospel of Christ and for the liberality of your contribution to them and to all, while they also, by prayer on your behalf, yearn for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you.”

 

Did you catch that?

They pray for you and they “yearn for you”

 

There is a desire and fellowship that takes place.

There is a gratitude that is built.

They are blessed and they share a bond from this day on.

 

That is what giving looks like.

• It gives willingly

• It gives abundantly

• It is profitable with heavenly treasure

• It is dependable as God meets the giver’s needs

• It glorifies God

• It produces fellowship

When giving is done correctly,

It is one of the most powerful tools the church has.

 

That is why Paul closed 2 Corinthians 9 (a chapter we’ve been quoting from a lot about giving) with this strange verse.

 

2 Corinthians 9:15 “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”

 

Paul says that the ability to give is a gift from God.

He doesn’t say thank God for your gift.

He says thank God for His gift.

 

Imagine if we were not permitted to invest in the lives of one another.

• We’d lose the ability to store up treasure in heaven

• We’d lose the promise that God will meet our needs

• We’d lose a major way in which we glorify God

• We’d lose one of the tightest bonds of fellowship we know

 

The church would be so much weaker without the ability to give.

Giving is a gift from God.

 

And the Philippian church is an example of that.

 

So tonight I encourage you to be a giver.

Give

(and I don’t even have a specific need in mind)

 

• I don’t care if it’s Lottie Moon

• I don’t care if it’s benevolence

• I don’t care if it’s Gideons

• I don’t care if it’s to a ministry outside of this church

• I don’t care if it’s just a poor man you see on the streets

 

I’m not telling you to give so I can get more.

Contentment is my calling.

 

But in regard to others we must give, and it is a blessing to do so.

 

Philippians 4:19 “And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

 

The Testing of the King – part 3

Matthew 4:1-11

 

As you know we are currently in the middle of a severe battle.

 

After Jesus was baptized, He immediately entered the wilderness,

And according to verse 1 that this was all according to God’s will.

 

(1) “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.”

 

It was God’s intention that Jesus fight this battle.

It was God’s intention that Jesus enter wilderness university.

 

One reason was to prepare Him to be the high priest

That you and I desperately needed Him to be.

 

Hebrews 2:10 “For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings.”

 

When Christ became a man,

It was God’s design to walk Him through an entourage of suffering

In order that He might “perfect” Him in His high priestly role.

 

Hebrews 5:8-9 “Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation,”

 

Furthermore, it is the wilderness temptation that helps us

To clearly see the sinless perfection of Christ.

 

For every Jew who doubted His perfection…

For every Gentile who doubted His perfection…

 

We only have to look at the success Jesus found in the wilderness

To understand that this man truly was without sin.

 

Hebrews 4:15 “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.”

 

And so thanks to the temptation, we believe Jesus was sinless.

 

Thus far we have learned two undeniable attributes of Jesus.

 

The first was HIS FOCUS

 

Jesus had spent 40 days and nights without food.

(He was intent on seeking His Father)

 

He then became hungry, and Satan saw the first opportunity.

He tempted Jesus to take matters into His own hands,

And to turn stones into bread that He might eat.

 

And Jesus was tempted to do it.

Until the Scriptures entered His mind and He remembered that “man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”

 

In other words, God calls His people to focus on spiritual things,

And to trust that God will take care of the temporal things.

 

And this is precisely the type of focus that Jesus showed.

He left the stones alone, and trusted God to take care of the bread.

 

Jesus was focused.

 

The second thing we saw about Him was HIS FAITH

 

Since Jesus quoted Scripture to guide His every decision,

Satan decided to use a crafty temptation against Him.

 

This time Satan actually quoted Scripture.

He quoted Psalms 91, that if Jesus were to throw Himself off of the temple,

Then God would be forced to honor His word and step in and save Jesus.

 

And there again, Jesus was tempted to do it.

(After all, this was Scripture, and Jesus was on the temple)

 

But just before He did so, another Scripture entered His mind, “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.”

 

And Jesus remembered that the purpose of the Scriptures

Is not so that we will test God, but so that we will trust God.

 

And so Jesus decided to trust that God would reveal Him as the Messiah

According to His own plan and according to His own timetable.

 

He decided to trust God.

 

And so through the first two temptations,

We have seen His Focus and His Faith.

 

This morning we look at the final temptation,

And learn yet another attribute about Jesus.

#3 HIS FORTITUDE

Matthew 4:8-11

 

And please notice the backdrop to this temptation.

(8) “Again”

It reminds us that the devil can seem relentless.

 

He didn’t give up easily.

Jesus had found victory over the first two temptations,

But Satan still isn’t finished.

 

Luke 4:13 “When the devil had finished every temptation, he left Him until an opportune time.”

 

That seems to indicate that there was more temptation,

Than even we have seen recorded. Satan was thorough.

 

In fact we already read out of Hebrews how Jesus

Had been tempted “in all things as we are.”

 

Jesus was under a harsh attack from the enemy.

 

“Again the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.”

 

Now this is the set up for the temptation.

 

And as we said on the previous one, it seems a little strange to us

To understand why Jesus would have followed the devil anywhere.

 

Why did Jesus follow him to stand on the temple?

Why now is Jesus following him to stand on the mountain?

 

BECAUSE THAT IS THE NATURE OF TEMPTATION

(It is difficult to see and understand)

 

I’ve told you in the previous sermons, and remind you again here,

That this temptation was not as neat and clean as we imagine it.

 

There was no formal greeting here.

In fact, Jesus never even called Satan by name until verse 10.

 

And let me show you that real quickly.

(1) “…to be tempted by the devil.”

(3) “the tempter came and said to Him”

(5) “then the devil took Him into the holy city…”

(8) “Again the devil took Him to a very high mountain…”

 

The tempter is repeatedly referred to as “the devil”

 

“devil” translates DIABOLOS

“slanderer”

 

He is one who comes and gossips and slanders other people.

That is precisely what the devil has been doing to God.

“If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”

(Make God prove His provision)

“If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down…”

(Make God prove His protection)

 

And so throughout the text, he is called the devil, or the slanderer.

 

But it is not until verse 10 when Jesus recognizes him and calls him,

Not the devil, but “Satan”

 

“Satan” translates SATANAS

“adversary”

 

After the final temptation, Jesus recognized him.

These temptations were coming from the one who opposes God.

 

At that moment it clicked with Jesus,

And all he had to say to Satan was “Go!”

 

Now, because Jesus never calls him Satan at the outset,

It becomes clear to us that during these temptations,

There was a certain level of confusion involved.

 

These were thoughts that Jesus was literally having and entertaining

(don’t forget that He was a man)

 

He was literally being tempted to do these things.

And when He fought through the temptations by quoting Scripture,

He was not quoting them to Satan, He was quoting them to Himself.

 

And so when we read that “the devil took Him to the holy city”

Or that “the devil took Him to a very high mountain”

 

We realize that it is most likely that the devil did not come in bodily form and say, “Hey follow me, I want to show you something”

 

But rather, in a much more crafty sense,

The devil put thoughts in the mind of our Lord to tempt Him.

 

What that means is that Jesus went up on the mountain,

He started thinking about “all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.”

 

NOW WHY WOULD HE THINK ABOUT SUCH THINGS?

 

Because He is the heir of those things.

He is the King of Kings.

He is the Lord of Lords.

 

All of those kingdoms and all of that glory is His inheritance.

Psalms 2:7-8 “I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. ‘Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, And the very ends of the earth as Your possession.”

 

In one sense it is no different than a believer

Taking a moment to stop and think about heaven.

 

Jesus was taking a moment to focus on the prize.

And there is nothing in the world wrong with that.

 

In fact, Jesus is commended for having such perspective.

Hebrews 12:2 “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

 

Scripture commends Him for focusing on the prize.

Just as you and I are told to

“fix your minds on things above, and not on earthly things.”

 

So there is nothing wrong with Jesus

Taking a moment to think about His inheritance.

 

THEN COMES THE TEMPTATION.

(9) “and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.”

 

Here Satan is offering to give Jesus what will one day be His.

 

Now some would say, “Who is Satan to offer such a thing? He can’t give that.”

 

But that’s not true.

It was Satan’s to give.

 

1 John 5:19 “We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.”

 

3 times Jesus uses this title for Satan

John 12:31 “Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.”

 

2 Corinthians 4:4 he is called “the god of this world”

 

In Ephesians 2:2 he is called “the prince of the power of the air”

 

The point is that Satan had absolute ability to give this to Jesus.

 

Adam was created as the heir of the world, but he sold that right to Satan in the garden. Satan then came to be known as the usurper.

 

And right now, this world is his kingdom.

 

But that brings us to another question.

IF IT WAS ALL GOING TO BELONG TO JESUS EVENTUALLY ANYWAY, WHY WOULD JESUS BE TEMPTED TO TAKE IT?

 

Because of one little word I just used – “eventually”

 

Satan was offering it now, God was offering it eventually.

 

God’s plan for Jesus to be king of the world required Him

To live a sinless life, die on a cross, rise from the dead,

And someday return to fight for His kingdom.

 

Satan’s plan for Jesus to be king of the world only required Him

To “fall down and worship” him.

 

IN SHORT SATAN WAS OFFERING THE PRIZE

WITHOUT ANY HARDSHIP SUFFERING OR PATIENT ENDURANCE.

 

I hope you see the parallel to our decision to take the wide or narrow gate.

 

Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. “For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

 

False prophets still offer this same temptation today.

 

They promise heaven and eternal life with no suffering and no hardship.

Of course it is a lie. That way doesn’t end in life, but in destruction.

 

True life is only found through the narrow way.

 

And this is what Satan was offering Jesus.

I’ll give you all the comforts and privileges right now,

And there is no need to suffer at all.

 

Satan was asking Jesus to take the wide road.

 

If He had, He obviously would have been putting other gods before God, and that sin would have rendered him unable to save.

 

But no doubt Jesus was tempted to do it.

WOULDN’T YOU BE?

 

Until Jesus had yet another Scripture enter His mind.

(10) “YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY.”

 

Jesus was quoting Deuteronomy 6:13

 

Jesus knew that what He was tempted to do,

Was not correct because it violated the word of God.

 

Furthermore, when the tempter asked for worship,

Jesus also knew who He was dealing with.

 

The first temptations made Satan a little difficult to spot,

But when he asked for worship,

Jesus knew exactly who He was dealing with.

 

Satan has always wanted God’s glory.

Isaiah 14:12-13 “How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, You who have weakened the nations! “But you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north.”

 

A desire for God’s glory was the reason for Satan’s fall.

When Satan asked for worship, Jesus knew exactly who He was.

 

AND THEN WHAT DID JESUS DO?

Two words – “Go Satan!”

 

Jesus didn’t rebuke him.

Jesus didn’t bind him.

Jesus didn’t mock him.

Jesus didn’t taunt him.

JESUS SIMPLY RESISTED HIM

 

1 Peter 5:8-9 “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.”

 

James 4:7 “Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”

 

The art of mocking or binding or rebuking the devil

Was a thought originated by false prophets.

 

Jude 8-10 “Yet in the same way these men, also by dreaming, defile the flesh, and reject authority, and revile angelic majesties. But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” But these men revile the things which they do not understand; and the things which they know by instinct, like unreasoning animals, by these things they are destroyed.”

 

It was the false prophets who originated

The idea of mocking or rebuking the devil.

 

Jesus simply resisted him, and when He did.

(11) “Then the devil left Him”

 

We call that victory!

And it is so fitting that you and I take a moment

And recognize how to have victory over temptation.

 

TURN TO: EPHESIANS 6:10-17

 

I would point out to you one more time that there are 6 pieces of armor

And that they fall into two main categories.

 

1) CUSTOMARY ARMOR (“having girded” “having put on” “having shod”)

The armor that the soldier always had on.

• The Belt of Truth

• The Breastplate of Righteousness

• The Shoes of the Gospel of Peace

 

If a soldier was ever without any of these pieces

He was not ready for battle and he was already defeated.

 

Certainly Jesus already had these on (and we must as well)

 

But I really want to point out the second category of armor.

 

2) COMBAT ARMOR (“in addition taking up” “take”)

This is the armor the soldier put on when he knew he was fighting

• The Shield of Faith

• The Helmet of Salvation

• The Sword of the Spirit

 

CAN YOU SEE THAT JESUS FOLLOWED THIS BLUEPRINT IN HIS BATTLE?

He trusted God’s plan, when He didn’t understand it.

He fought the battle in the mind, but overcome it.

The weapon that won the battle was a reliance upon God’s Word

 

We win the victory against temptation exactly the same way.

 

Jesus won this battle.

AND WHAT DO WE LEARN ABOUT HIM HERE?

– His Fortitude

 

He could have taken an easier road…

He could have tried to bypass suffering…

He could have tried to escape the cross…

 

But instead, He chose to endure.

And we have seen the fortitude in Him throughout the gospels.

 

One of the best passages is:

John 12:23-28 “And Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. “He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal. “If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him. “Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. “Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came out of heaven: “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.”

 

Jesus knew what lay ahead, yet He pushed through to it anyway.

 

And I would be remiss if I failed to reveal

That this is the same He expects of us.

 

Matthew 10:21-22 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. “You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.”

 

Jesus expects that we will follow His lead.

When tempted with bread, He maintained FOCUS

When tempted with proof, He maintained FAITH

When tempted with hardship, He maintained FORTITUDE

 

And by resisting temptation He overcame the devil.

THE KING PASSED THE TEST

 

(11b) “and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him.”

 

WHAT IS THIS?

This is God making good on His promise.

 

Jesus didn’t make bread because He trusted God to provide,

These angels came and met that need.

 

ARE YOU TELLING ME THEY BROUGHT FOOD?

1 Kings 19:4-8 “But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree; and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, “It is enough; now, O LORD, take my life, for I am not better than my fathers.” He lay down and slept under a juniper tree; and behold, there was an angel touching him, and he said to him, “Arise, eat.” Then he looked and behold, there was at his head a bread cake baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank and lay down again. The angel of the LORD came again a second time and touched him and said, “Arise, eat, because the journey is too great for you.” So he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mountain of God.”

 

WHAT ELSE WOULD THEY SUPPLY?

How about a little confirmation.

 

Remember as Joshua was in the wilderness overlooking Jericho.

Joshua 5:13-6:5 “Now it came about when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing opposite him with his sword drawn in his hand, and Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us or for our adversaries?” He said, “No; rather I indeed come now as captain of the host of the LORD.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and bowed down, and said to him, “What has my lord to say to his servant?” The captain of the LORD’S host said to Joshua, “Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so. Now Jericho was tightly shut because of the sons of Israel; no one went out and no one came in. The LORD said to Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and the valiant warriors. “You shall march around the city, all the men of war circling the city once. You shall do so for six days. “Also seven priests shall carry seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark; then on the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. “It shall be that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people will go up every man straight ahead.”

 

Joshua needed confirmation and the Lord provided it.

 

Certainly these angels did the same for Jesus.

They reminded Him that the kingdom would be His

And that God really would show Him to be the Messiah.

 

And so Jesus’ wilderness experience ends

With God doing exactly what He said.

 

Again, let me encourage those of you who are presently in “Wilderness University”

1) Have Focus

2) Have Faith

3) Have Fortitude

 

You are not alone, and God has not forsaken you.

He will do what He promises.

 

1 Peter 5:6-10 “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.”

 

That is the blueprint Jesus followed,

And it is the blueprint for you and I as well.

 

The Testing of the King – Part 2

Matthew 4:1-11

 

Last time we met, we started on this very important section of Scripture.

• Jesus had just stepped out of the baptistery waters…

• He had just been declared totally pleasing by His Father…

• He had just demonstrated terrific obedience…

 

And now it is time for His testing.

Last week we saw Jesus enroll in “Wilderness University”

 

In the wilderness He was DISCIPLINED

(Not punished for sin, nor made more righteous)

 

But this aspect of suffering was necessary to prepare Him

To be the type of priest that He desired to be.

 

Hebrews 5:8-9 “Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation,”

 

Jesus also entered the wilderness for His TESTING

(Again, not God’s test, God had already declared Him pleasing)

 

This was so that Satan could test Him.

This was so the Jews could see a demonstration of His righteousness.

This was that you and I could be certain that He was sinless.

 

And as we saw last week, Jesus is literally in a fierce battle.

He has entered the wilderness and the temptation has begun.

 

It is important that we make a distinction in regard to temptation.

 

James 1:13-15 “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.”

 

You and I know that temptation is a very real part of our lives.

(That is why Christ had to face it)

 

But it is also important that you and I understand

Its purpose and its author.

 

Testing and Temptation are not the same thing.

God tests our faith.

Satan tempts us with sin.

 

Any time in life that you feel the urge to do something sinful;

You can know that urge did not come from the Father.

God hates sin.

In fact James says “God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.”

In other words, God hates sin so much

That He would never consider tempting someone to commit it.

 

Now God does test our faith.

Genesis 22:1-2 “Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.”

 

We don’t have time to dig into the life of Abraham,

But just know that by this point God had repeatedly told Abraham

That Isaac was the franchise.

 

And now that Abraham seems to consent that he agrees,

God finds out if he really believes it or not.

 

God tests our faith, but He never tempts us to sin.

 

That is further explained in the fact that we are told to:

“Consider it pure joy” when we experience the testing of our faith.

Yet Jesus told us to pray that we not be led into temptation.

 

And so God tests our faith, but He does not tempt us to sin.

 

Any time you feel tempted to sin,

Rest assured that it did not come from God.

 

WHO DID IT COME FROM?

Some instantly say “The Devil”.

 

James said, “But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.”

That means that temptation comes from you.

It is your fallen sinful flesh that tempts you to sin.

 

And in order to overcome that temptation,

You literally have to fight back those fleshly desires.

AND THAT IS A FIERCE FIGHT

 

Romans 7:14-20 “For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good. So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.”

Temptation comes from within.

 

SO DOES THAT LEAVE THE DEVIL WITHOUT BLAME?

Hardly.

 

Satan is like the great advertiser.

He is always looking for things to toss in front of your path

To see if they will enflame those temptations within you.

 

And that is precisely what Satan is doing to Jesus.

• Satan is on the hunt.

• He is searching high and low for that one offer to good to refuse.

• He tempting to see if he can find a sin that Jesus wants to commit.

 

Already we have seen Jesus withstand one temptation.

 

After He had gone 40 days and 40 nights without food

(Because of His intense focus on God and spiritual things – a.k.a. “fasting”)

 

Because of that 40 day fast, Satan (always the perceptive one)

Realized that hunger was a temptation Jesus might succumb to.

 

(3) “And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”

 

As we said last time, Satan Hit Jesus with a legitimate physical need,

But he desired for Jesus to fulfill that need in an illegitimate way.

 

Jesus was tempted to focus on Himself instead of on God

And if He had turned those stones into bread

Redemption would have been impossible.

 

But instead of succumbing to that temptation, Jesus reassured Himself of what to do by quoting a Scripture to Himself (4) “But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.’”

 

Pulling from that tremendous passage in Deuteronomy 8

Jesus remembered that God can rain bread out of heaven if need be.

 

In short: God will take care of the bread, you seek the kingdom.

 

And by obeying that passage of Scripture,

Jesus was able to overcome that temptation.

 

And we talked about His tremendous focus.

 

Regardless of His hunger…

Regardless of His need…

Regardless of His power to produce it Himself…

Jesus chose to remain focused on what God told Him to be focused on.

He could not be distracted…

He would not take a detour…

 

And of course we are told to imitate His focus.

Hebrews 12:1-3 “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

 

Jesus had tunnel vision.

He came to this earth and set His eyes on the cross

And nothing could get Him to lose focus.

 

Now let’s move on to the next temptation,

And subsequently what it reveals about the character of Jesus.

 

His Focus

#2 HIS FAITH

Matthew 4:5-7

 

Scripture says, “Then the devil took Him into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written, ‘HE WILL COMMAND HIS ANGELS CONCERNING YOU’; and ‘ON their HANDS THEY WILL BEAR YOU UP, SO THAT YOU WILL NOT STRIKE YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE.’”

 

Obviously there are some unknowns about this story.

 

We are not told how Jesus came to be on top of the temple

Except that “the devil took Him” there.

(Some have suggested it occurred in a vision, but the text gives no support to that)

 

But the scene does pose a question to some as to

Why Jesus would follow Satan to go anywhere he wanted.

 

I don’t pretend to be able to give certainty where the Bible remains vague,

Except to again point out the sneakiness of temptation.

 

It does help to understand some of the Jewish expectations of the day.

 

From reading the gospels, it is clear to us that the Jews expected

The Messiah to arrive on the scene with a bang.

 

Everywhere we look, they want to see miracles from Him.

(And commonly more miracles, and even greater ones)

And by Jesus day, one such miracle was a miraculous arrival to the temple.

Malachi 3:1 “Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming,” says the LORD of hosts.”

 

Some Jews thought this even meant that the Messiah

Might descend from heaven to the temple.

 

In fact, tradition even states that Simon the Magician later tried to claim himself as the Messiah, and that he tried to prove it by throwing himself from the temple in such a fashion.

 

I tell you that because I want you to know that

As far as identifying the Messiah,

It was clear that the Jews wanted something extraordinary to occur.

 

And so it could be that the thought even occurred to Jesus

That such a display was necessary to reveal Himself to the Jews.

 

But at that point, many would say,

“No way Jesus would ever think that way.”

 

Where would Jesus get a thought like that?

Where would Jesus get a thought that He could throw himself off the temple and thus prove His Messiahship?

 

The answer: God’s Word.

 

Jesus overcame the first temptation

By appealing to the word of God as His guide.

 

So the devil delivers the next temptation directly from the word of God.

(6) “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written, ‘HE WILL COMMAND HIS ANGELS CONCERNING YOU’; and ‘ON their HANDS THEY WILL BEAR YOU UP, SO THAT YOU WILL NOT STRIKE YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE.’”

 

Satan quotes Psalms 91:11-12

 

And again, let me remind you of the nature of temptation.

 

Satan did not walk up to Jesus with a nametag on and say:

“Hey Jesus, come with me to the temple, so I can show you something.”

(To which we imagine Jesus reluctantly agrees)

 

And then Satan says, “The Bible says You can throw Yourself off of here”.

And then Jesus responds, “Never! I knew you bringing me here was a waste of time. Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!)

 

This was Temptation, this was Stealthy, this was Sneaky, this was Confusing

Satan covertly quoted a passage of Scripture to Jesus,

And Jesus was tempted to do it.

 

Psalms 91:11-12 “For He will give His angels charge concerning you, To guard you in all your ways. They will bear you up in their hands, That you do not strike your foot against a stone.”

 

He took a passage that promises the protection of God,

And presented that passage to Jesus as if to say,

“Do you believe God will do this?”

 

His aim was to pin Jesus in to a corner with the Scriptures.

 

John MacArthur writes:

“With that subtle and clever twist, the tempter thought He had backed Jesus into a corner. If Jesus lived only by the Word of God, then He would be confronted by something from the Word of God. “You claim to be God’s Son and You claim to trust His Word,” Satan was saying. “If so, why don’t you demonstrate your sonship and prove the truth of God’s Word by putting Him to a test – a scriptural test? If you won’t use your own divine power to help yourself, let your Father use His divine power to help you. If you won’t act independently of the Father, let the Father act. Give your Father a chance to fulfill the Scripture I just quoted to you.”

 

How many today have been suckered in by that same temptation.

Go out and prove you believe God.

Go out and make God prove He can deliver.

 

In an extreme sense this is what

The SERPENT HANDLERS and the STRYCHNINE DRINKERS do.

 

In a less extreme sense this is what anyone does when they

Ignore the obvious and hold out only for the supernatural.

 

Satan quoted a certified promise from God

And told Jesus to make His God prove it.

 

It was a temptation to make God honor His word.

 

And Jesus was tempted to do it.

 

• After all, it would have been a guaranteed proof of His Messiahship

(and He had performed none up to this point)

• And the Bible does say God will protect…

 

SO WHY NOT?

 

Because that would be putting your own logic

Ahead of God’s plan, and that too is sin.

 

God doesn’t ask for your input in regard to the mission,

God only asks for your obedience.

 

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.”

 

Had Jesus jumped, He would have been usurping God’s authority And that one sin, would have rendered Him unable to save.

 

But just before He jumped, another thought entered His mind.

 

(7) “Jesus said to him, “On the other hand, it is written, ‘YOU SHALL NOT PUT THE LORD YOUR GOD TO THE TEST.’”

 

And I have to tell you this is tremendous insight on the part of Jesus.

 

Notice first of all what He says: “On the other hand, it is written,”

 

Jesus did not deny the Scripture Satan quoted…

Jesus did not ignore the Scripture Satan quoted…

Jesus did not reject the Scripture Satan quoted…

 

Jesus simply revealed that the way Satan would have Him obey it

Was inconsistent with the message of Scripture as a whole.

 

Jesus knew that Scripture never contradicts itself.

And if obedience to one command forces me to break another one,

Then it is obvious my interpretation of the passage is wrong.

 

He was not denying God’s power to deliver.

He was not denying God’s promise to deliver.

 

But Jesus was not going to force God to do it on the spot,

For that would have been a sin.

 

Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 6:16

Deuteronomy 6:16-17 “You shall not put the LORD your God to the test, as you tested Him at Massah. “You should diligently keep the commandments of the LORD your God, and His testimonies and His statutes which He has commanded you.”

 

And just to make sure we understand the context and what God is saying.

 

WHAT HAPPENED AT MASSAH?

Exodus 17:1-7 “Then all the congregation of the sons of Israel journeyed by stages from the wilderness of Sin, according to the command of the LORD, and camped at Rephidim, and there was no water for the people to drink. Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water that we may drink.” And Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the LORD?” But the people thirsted there for water; and they grumbled against Moses and said, “Why, now, have you brought us up from Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?” So Moses cried out to the LORD, saying, “What shall I do to this people? A little more and they will stone me.” Then the LORD said to Moses, “Pass before the people and take with you some of the elders of Israel; and take in your hand your staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. “Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink.” And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. He named the place Massah and Meribah because of the quarrel of the sons of Israel, and because they tested the LORD, saying, “Is the LORD among us, or not?”

 

And there it becomes a little more clear.

They were thirsty, but had no water.

 

Now did God promise to provide? – Yes

Was God capable of providing? – Yes

 

So what was wrong with the people demanding water?

 

Because they wanted it to appear at their demand,

They had decided to force God to honor His word right then.

 

In short, they were putting God to a test

To see if He really would do what He said,

And if not, they were heading back to Egypt.

 

In Deuteronomy God commanded them to never do that again.

“Don’t force Me to jump through your hoops” (so to speak)

 

Let us remember something valuable here.

• God tests us, we don’t test God.

• We are the ones on trial, not God.

• God has nothing to prove to us, we have everything to prove to Him.

 

And so if there is a test to be given, it won’t be by us.

 

That also helps us understand the purpose of Scripture.

 

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHY GOD REVEALED HIS WORD TO YOU?

 

God revealed His word to you so that you would trust Him.

He gives you His promises so you will trust Him.

Not so that you will test Him.

 

God is not some performing monkey

Whom you can demand to show up

Whenever you desire to put Him on display.

 

God works how He wants, when He wants.

His Scripture is given not so that you can use it against Him.

His Scripture is given so that you will know His will and His nature

And that you will trust Him.

 

That is certainly what Moses commanded in

Deuteronomy 6:16 “You shall not put the LORD your God to the test, as you tested Him at Massah.”

 

And Jesus applied that Scripture to His situation and realized

That Whenever God wanted to reveal Him as Messiah, He would

And However God wanted to reveal Him as Messiah, He would

 

In fact, it is obvious that Jesus fully understood this

In regard to all the miracles He worked.

 

John 5:36 “But the testimony which I have is greater than the testimony of John; for the works which the Father has given Me to accomplish — the very works that I do — testify about Me, that the Father has sent Me.”

 

WHAT WORKS DID JESUS DO?

“the works which the Father has given Me to accomplish”

 

Jesus came to trust the Father, not to test Him.

And so Jesus didn’t jump.

 

WHAT DO WE LEARN ABOUT JESUS HERE?

We learn about His faith.

 

There are many today who succumb to this temptation

That Satan offered Jesus.

 

They step out and do something utterly foolish,

For no other reason than to make God prove Himself.

 

BUT SUCH AN ACTION IS NOT TRULY FAITH

(That action is really all about sight)

 

They are trying to get God to do something they can see,

So that they won’t have to trust without seeing.

 

Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

 

1 Peter 1:8-9 “and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.”

 

True faith is to trust what you can’t see,

Not to force God to do something you can see.

 

And I don’t mind telling you that I get a little passionate at this point.

 

Because I get sick and tired of the so-called “Word of Faith” movement or the “Charismatic” movement or whatever you want to call it.

 

And how they love to criticize those

Who are not into signs and wonders and miraculous healings

As people who just don’t have faith.

 

“If you just had faith, you would be healed!”

“All Carrie needs is some flax seed and faith”

 

I am tired of people attacking Christians in sickness or hardship

As being those who just don’t have any faith.

 

You answer me.

Which takes more faith?

To be quickly healed after a moment of difficulty or to endure that difficulty with perseverance for an extended period of time?

 

Let us not forget that patience and perseverance are part of faith as well.

 

Jesus was a walking demonstration of faith.

 

But it wasn’t the type of faith that forced God to show up

And prove Himself at every beckoning.

 

The type of faith Jesus had was the type that trusted God’s plan,

Even though it may have differed from His own.

 

It is the faith expressed in Isaiah 40

Isaiah 40:31 “Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.”

 

It is the faith of Psalms 46

Psalms 46:10 “Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

 

This is the patient, trusting type of faith that Jesus had, and it carried Him.

(Not only through the temptation, but also through His ministry,

And ultimately through His crucifixion)

 

Remember the garden?

Matthew 26:39 “And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.”

 

Jesus trusted God.

 

• He trusted God would not fail to give Him bread to eat.

• He trusted God would reveal Him as the Messiah at the proper time and in the proper way.

• He trusted that God would protect Him just as His word said.

 

Jesus trusted God, but He did not test God.

 

And not only did Jesus demonstrate this kind of faith,

But He also demanded it.

 

Matthew 12:38-42 “Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.” But He answered and said to them, ” An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet; for just as JONAH WAS THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS IN THE BELLY OF THE SEA MONSTER, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. “The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment, and will condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. “The Queen of the South will rise up with this generation at the judgment and will condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.”

 

Jesus praised the people who trusted what God said,

But He condemned those who wanted to see God prove it.

 

This morning I want to encourage you to do the same.

 

Just as we talked about the wilderness last week,

Here again we know that there are some who are so far in the wilderness,

That they feel like they will never get out.

 

Last week we asked you to focus on God, not your difficulty.

God will take care of the bread, you seek the kingdom.

 

This morning we ask you to patiently trust God.

Don’t try to force Him to instantly appear and pull a rabbit out of a hat for you.

 

Instead trust that He has a plan (as He said He does – “I know the plans…”)

Trust that He is able to complete it (“God causes all things”)

Trust that when the time is right God will show up in the way He chooses.

 

And if you need an example, simply look to Jesus.

 

Hebrews 12:1-3 “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

 

 

The Testing of the King – Part 1

Matthew 4:1-11

 

When we met last time together, we studied what we called

“The Coronation of the King”

 

It was far more than the baptism of Jesus,

It was the divine declaration that Jesus is indeed the sinless Son of God,

And therefore the only One qualified to be the Savior.

 

This morning we move from that declaration of Jesus’ kingship

Into another highly significant event.

We move from the Coronation of the King to the Testing of the King.

 

John MacArthur wrote:

“His baptism in the Jordan declared His royalty, His temptation in the wilderness demonstrated it.”

 

No doubt as Satan heard the Father say,

“This is My beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased”,

He certainly had a desire to destroy this all-pleasing Savior.

 

If Satan could lead Christ into sin, Jesus could not save.

His death would be for His own sin, and for no one else’s

 

If Satan could lead Christ into sin, the trinity would be shattered.

Jesus would be sinful, and Himself removed outside the veil.

 

In short, if Satan could tempt Jesus to sin,

Salvation would be impossible and God’s nature would be undone.

 

SATAN IS OUT TO DESTROY THE KING & GOD ALLOWS THE TESTING

 

(1) “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.”

 

So this morning we watch as Jesus enrolls in “Wilderness University”.

Hopefully you remember what we are talking about when I say that.

 

Last February in our study of the Kings we ran across a story we called “Wilderness University”

 

• Elijah was fresh off the victory over the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel.

• He witnessed God answer by fire and send a mighty shower.

• Elijah then outran everyone (including God) back to Jezreel.

 

Only in Jezreel the revival he was expecting did not occur.

Instead of revival he received a death threat from Jezebel.

 

• He then ran from the northern tip of Israel to the Southern tip of Judah.

• He then ran 40 days into the wilderness, sat down and asked to die.

We talked about “Wilderness University”

It is that place of testing that we are all eventually asked to endure.

 

I’ve heard wilderness university also described as:

A box canyon

I’ve seen it as my dad’s loading shoot. “That horse needs his attention got”

 

It was my mom who named it “Wilderness University”

Because this is where she claims to have gotten her education.

 

And it is an education every believer must receive.

 

And we know why we have to go to wilderness university.

 

1) DISCIPLINE

Hebrews 12:7-11 “It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.”

 

Because we are a work in progress

And because God is in the business of sanctifying us;

At times we are sent into the wilderness to learn.

 

God disciplines us in the wilderness.

(Discipline can be either positive or negative)

 

The wilderness is a tremendous place for God to get your attention.

It is a place of extreme seclusion where the only way out is God.

 

And so it is in the wilderness that we often become

More attentive to God and He can more easily work on us.

 

2) TESTING

1 Peter 4:12-13 “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation.”

 

James 1:2-4 “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

 

James 1:12 “Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”

The wilderness is also a great place for God to determine

How much we have learned.

 

We have all found obedience to be easy when things are easy.

 

And so sometimes it is necessary for us to enter times of difficulty

To see if we will still be obedient.

 

It is a time of testing.

God is seeing what we have learned.

 

SO WE ENTER WILDERNESS UNIVERSITY FOR DISCIPLINE & TESTING

 

AND THIS IS ALSO WHY JESUS WENT.

 

1) DISCIPLINE

Not punishment for sinning, He was perfectly righteous, God was pleased.

Nor was it to make Him more righteous, for God had already declared Him pleasing.

 

Rather, this discipline was about molding Him into

All that He needed to be as a Savior and merciful high priest.

 

HE WENT TO THE WILDERNESS TO GAIN EXPERIENCE

 

Hebrews 5:7-10 “In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.”

 

Hebrews 5 is a chapter dedicated to explaining why

Jesus is an effective high priest.

 

There are certain qualities every priest must have.

1) You had to be appointed by God

2) You had to be merciful and sympathetic to the sins of the people

 

Otherwise you weren’t a good priest.

A priest was one who interceded to God on behalf of man.

 

No one wants a priest who says, “God they’re hurting, but I think we can both agree that they deserve it, so don’t worry about them.”

 

No, you want a priest that says, “God, I know it’s probably their own fault, but they are hurting, and I can’t bear to watch it, what they are going through is hard, please act according to Your great mercy and deliver them.”

 

If a priest isn’t merciful and sympathetic, he is a lousy priest.

That is why Jesus had to suffer temptation.

“Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered.”

 

In other words He learned why obedience is so difficult for us.

He learned why it is hard.

And this makes Him sympathetic when we cry out to Him.

 

Hebrews 4:15 “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.”

 

Hebrews 2:18 “For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.”

 

The wilderness was not to make Jesus righteous – He already was.

The wilderness was to help Jesus in His role as priest.

 

Hebrews 7:25 “Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”

 

This was a huge thing that Jesus endured for us.

 

And the other reason for His temptation:

2) TESTING

 

Was it a test for God’s benefit?

No, again, God already had declared Him righteous.

 

This was a test to prove to us and I suppose also to Satan

That Jesus truly was righteous.

But mostly it was to prove Christ’s righteousness to the Jews.

 

You may remember when we studied the 2nd chapter of Matthew.

We saw all those fulfilled prophecies.

 

Matthew 2:15 “He remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “OUT OF EGYPT I CALLED MY SON.”

 

Matthew 2:17-18 “Then what had been spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: “A VOICE WAS HEARD IN RAMAH, WEEPING AND GREAT MOURNING, RACHEL WEEPING FOR HER CHILDREN; AND SHE REFUSED TO BE COMFORTED, BECAUSE THEY WERE NO MORE.”

 

Matthew 2:23 “and [Jesus] came and lived in a city called Nazareth. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets: “He shall be called a Nazarene.”

 

And you remember that it became obvious that Matthew was pointing out That Jesus had walked through the Jews very historical timeline.

 

Just as they were called out of Egypt, so was He.

Just as they walked through the Exile, so did He.

Just as they were now Excluded, so was He.

And Matthew chapter 4 also falls into that category.

For there was another major event in Israel’s history.

 

Sure there was the Exodus.

Sure there was the Exile.

But there was another huge event they had to endure.

The Wilderness Wonderings

 

For 40 years God had Israel in the wilderness.

And for 40 years they routinely got it wrong and succumbed to temptation.

 

Well, now God is going to put Jesus in the wilderness for 40 days

And you will see that where Israel routinely failed, Jesus passed.

 

His temptation was not only about molding Him into a priest,

But was also about putting His perfect righteousness on display.

 

He was One who always did it correctly.

And this you will certainly see as we study His temptation.

 

Now, that being said, lets dive into this text.

And I don’t mind telling you from the beginning that there are few texts

That make it easier to chase rabbits than this one.

 

We could do an entire study on the strategies of Satan.

• Attacks during a weakness (Jesus was hungry)

• Attacks after a victory (Jesus was just baptized)

• Attacks before a ministry (Jesus was about to begin)

 

We could do an entire study on the nature of temptation.

• Physical temptation (involving bread)

• Emotional temptation (involving security and protection)

• Spiritual temptation (involving worship)

 

We could do an entire study on overcoming temptation.

• Every time Jesus responded with Scripture.

• Jesus resisted the devil and he “left Him”

 

And indeed some of those concepts may indeed come out,

But mainly we are going to try and stay true to Matthew’s purpose

 

Matthew wants us to see the tremendous obedience of Jesus.

Matthew wants us to see a true demonstration of righteousness

And in order to show that, Matthew includes Jesus temptation.

 

For it is in this temptation that true nature of Jesus come shining through.

You really see the true colors of a man when you press Him a little.

 

And so as Satan squeezes Jesus, we see what He was all about.

There are three attributes of Jesus I want you to see here. (only one this morning)

#1 HIS FOCUS

Matthew 4:1-4

 

I want you to see what He was focused on.

 

So let’s set the stage.

(1-2) “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry.”

 

The word “Then” indicates that this temptation

Occurred directly after His baptism.

 

In fact Mark’s gospel says:

Mark 1:12 “Immediately the Spirit impelled Him to go out into the wilderness.”

 

So Jesus is still wet from the water and He takes off into the wilderness.

And while He is there, He is fasting.

 

Scripture says that He “fasted for forty days and forty nights”.

 

And again we take the opportunity to explain true fasting.

There are many today who see fasting

As some sort of manipulation tool.

 

That if I go without food for a certain amount of time or if I deprive myself in some way,

Then God will see I’m really serious and He’ll give me what I am asking for.

 

Trust me when I tell you God is not motivated by such nonsense.

Colossians 2:20-23 “If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” (which all refer to things destined to perish with use) — in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men? These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence.”

 

Someone told the Colossians that the key to really pleasing God

Was to deprive yourself of food and to treat your body severely.

 

Paul says that certainly “looks” good, but it is no value.

 

Someone told the Galatians that circumcision is the key to pleasing God

 

Galatians 3:1-3 “You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?”

Again, Paul says it is foolish.

HE WASN’T TRYING TO GET GOD’S ATTENTION BY STARVING HIMSELF

 

On the contrary, Jesus was going without food

Because God had His attention.

 

This commonly occurs in wilderness university.

A person becomes so overwhelmed with the spiritual realities of their life

That to stop and eat just doesn’t make sense.

 

They are consumed with seeking God, not food.

In fact, many who have truly fasted in this way will tell you that

During that time they really even didn’t feel hungry.

 

That is why Scripture says, “AFTER He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He THEN BECAME hungry.”

It doesn’t say, “When He could fight off His hunger no longer…”

 

He wasn’t hungry for food, He was hungry for God.

 

But, after that 40 day period, Jesus realized His hunger.

No doubt He was mentally and physically famished.

 

And Satan saw an opportunity to attack.

(3) “And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”

 

Now before we get any further into the actual temptation,

Let me help you see the scene a little better.

 

For some reason people tend to read this as though Satan walked up and said, “Hi Jesus” and Jesus said, “Hi Satan”, and then Satan issued a double-dog-dare and Jesus said, “No”.

 

And it’s all painted real spiritual looking.

 

But before you perceive this incident in that way,

Let me point something out to you that you may not have noticed before.

 

Jesus doesn’t identify the tempter as Satan until verse 10

After he asks for worship.

 

That indicates that Satan was far more stealthy than to just

Walk right up and introduce himself to Jesus and dare Him.

 

For all we know this was just a thought Satan put into the mind of Jesus.

 

Don’t forget that while Jesus was fully God, He was also fully man,

And temptation approached Him just like it approaches us.

EVER HAD SATAN PUT A THOUGHT IN YOUR MIND?

If you say “No”, it’s just because you didn’t recognize it was from Satan.

 

And indeed sometimes it is hard to recognize.

 

And here, as Jesus was literally starved and with nothing to eat,

It is apparent that somehow the temptation came to Him

That He ought to use His power and turn the stones into bread and eat.

 

Furthermore the temptation sought to appeal to His sense of self.

“If You are the Son of God…”

 

Satan was seeking to appeal to any selfishness in Christ.

There is no way that I should have to suffer like this.

I deserve better.

 

WE’VE ALL BE TEMPTED BY OUR SELFISHNESS

This is what Satan hit Jesus with.

He attacked God’s provision.

 

“Certainly the Savior of the world needs His strength. You need food, no one in their right mind would go a second longer. But You are in the wilderness, and there is nothing to eat. Not to worry, You have the power to turn stones into bread. That’s what you ought to do.”

 

What a simple, yet sinister type of temptation.

It appealed to sense of self.

It was rooted in a genuine need.

But it came in such a way as to undermine the provision of God.

 

And if Jesus had given in to that thought,

We could not have blamed Him,

But indeed salvation would have been impossible.

 

For it would have indicated one incident in the life of Jesus

When He put His own will ahead of God’s.

We call that idolatry (worship of self)

And it would have rendered Jesus unfit as an offering for sin.

 

This was a serious moment.

• A hungry Jesus

• A conniving enemy

• And Jesus actually tempted to turn stones into bread.

 

And then something stops Him.

WHAT?

 

Into His mind comes another thought.

This time not a thought from the enemy, but a thought from God.

(4) “But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.’”

 

Please get the picture.

JESUS ISN’T PREACHING TO THE DEVIL HERE.

JESUS IS PREACHING TO HIMSELF.

 

2 Corinthians 10:3-6 “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.”

 

In Paul’s famous statement about warfare,

He reminds the Corinthians that he takes

“every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.”

Paul forces every thought into conformity with God’s Word.

 

Romans 12:2 “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”

 

The idea is that when confronted with a thought,

Either from your brain or someone else’s

That you first see if it squares with Scripture.

 

That is precisely what Jesus did.

He took the thought that He could turn stones into bread,

But when He laid that thought up against the Word,

It was clearly seen as false.

 

I want you to see the Scripture that Jesus quoted.

(for there is a lesson there for us)

 

“MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.”

 

TURN TO: DEUTERONOMY 8:1-6

(by the way every Scripture Jesus quotes is found in Deuteronomy; two in chapter 6, and this one in chapter 8)

 

Now, when we read that passage some obvious things come to light.

 

1) God sent them into the wilderness to TEST them (vs. 2)

 

2) God PURPOSELY let them get hungry (vs. 3)

 

3) God fed them with manna THEY DID NOT KNOW (vs. 3)

 

4) God did this so they would learn that He has those things under control and ALL THEY NEED TO WORRY ABOUT IS THE SPIRITUAL. (vs. 3)

And according to verses 4-6

God did the same thing in regard to their clothing.

 

He supernaturally provided their food and clothing

So that they would see that God has that under control

And that they would be free to worry about eternal things.

 

NOW YOU KNOW WHERE JESUS GOT IT.

Matthew 6:31-33 “Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ “For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

 

Was Jesus hungry? – Yes.

Could He step out of God’s will and get food? – Yes.

 

But before He did He consulted the Word of God,

And remembered that God promised to take care of those things,

All we have to worry about is the spiritual things.

 

And so that is what Jesus decided to do.

 

There we see His tremendous focus.

He was focused on the eternal.

He was focused on the spiritual.

He was focused on the Father.

He was focused on perfect obedience.

 

John 4:31-34 “Meanwhile the disciples were urging Him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” But He said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” So the disciples were saying to one another, “No one brought Him anything to eat, did he?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.”

 

John 8:29 “And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.”

 

And it is important for you to see that now.

Because in two chapters when Jesus asks you to do the same

You will know that He is a man who practices what He preaches.

 

And now, because He overcame that temptation,

Not only is He a perfect example to follow, but He is also the great High Priest who can help you win the battle as well.

 

Hebrews 4:14-16 “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

RUN TO JESUS